What began as a shared passion for Mongolia has evolved into something much more meaningful—a tourism company that puts equity and community at its heart. This is the story of two founders who chose to focus deeply rather than broadly, creating authentic connections between travelers and the landscapes and people they've dedicated their lives to understanding.
We are Jessica Ruth Brooks (Jess), a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and Enkhtur Arildiipurew (Turuu). In 2010, we co-founded Eternal Landscapes Mongolia (Gobi Gua Undur LLC), a Mongolian-registered inbound tour operator.
We’re not global specialists—we focus entirely on Mongolia, the country we know, love, and call home. Our goal is to make tourism in Mongolia more equitable, and we invite our guests to be part of a bigger philosophy.
Although we work within the tourism sector, our mission goes beyond travel. We believe tourism can be a powerful tool for equity, empowerment, and long-term local benefit.
Our business model allows us to stay close to the ground in Mongolia, where we see the realities of inequality in tourism every day. But we’ve also seen how, when approached with care and purpose, tourism can be a force for meaningful, lasting change.
Through Eternal Landscapes, we may be small, but we’ve built long-term partnerships that create a ripple effect across the communities we work with—ensuring that a broader, more diverse group of Mongolian people, families, and projects benefit from tourism in tangible ways.
Whether partnering with families, local NGOs, or small community initiatives, our focus is always long-term. These relationships are built on trust and mutual respect, and they form the foundation of the impact we strive to make.
As highlighted in our first Impact Report (2024), we are Rooted in Mongolia. Our work goes far beyond offering tours—it’s about building a foundation for opportunity, equity, and local empowerment.
Jessica has been based in Mongolia since 2006. In 2010, she co-founded Eternal Landscapes with Enkhtur to challenge conventional perceptions of tourism in the country.
Eternal Landscapes reflects Jessica’s belief that tourism can be a powerful tool for societal transformation—when rooted in equity, responsibility, and local engagement. Her work focuses on empowering women, promoting social inclusion, and reducing tourism leakage to ensure that the benefits of travel remain within local communities.
Co-founder of Eternal Landscapes Mongolia, Enkhtur brings over 30 years of experience in the tourism sector. Raised in rural Mongolia and now based in Ulaanbaatar’s ger districts, he offers a grounded understanding of both urban and rural realities. Known as Turuu, he is a strong advocate for creating meaningful employment opportunities for older men—championing inclusive, community-led solutions such as intergenerational tourism teams to help address broader social challenges, including toxic masculinity.
From the beginning, we’ve trained and employed female Mongolian trip assistants—women from diverse backgrounds who are breaking barriers and reshaping what it means to work in tourism. Our intergenerational team structure also helps bridge cultural divides and foster mutual understanding across age groups and life experiences.
In recognition of this approach, we were proud to receive the Gender Equality Champions in Tourism award in 2024 from Equality in Tourism International.
Yet, despite growing conversations about the role of women in tourism, significant challenges and disparities remain. In Mongolia, many aspiring women—particularly those from rural or underrepresented communities—face barriers to entering the industry, especially without connections or prior experience.
Through our lived, on-the-ground experience, we’ve seen that with the right tools—and someone who believes in them—Mongolian women can not only transform their own lives but create lasting, positive change in their families, communities, and beyond.
'My life has grown since I started work [in tourism]. I'm an English teacher but I always work in the summer months and my English skills and that of my students are developing year by year. After some difficult years as a single mother, I am now financially independent and now feel confident about myself. Tourism gave me this opportunity and continues to provide support and encouragement for me.'
[Tourism] gives me flexibility. This flexibility as well as the reliable income and support network helps women - especially singe mothers.'
[Working in tourism] gives me wonderful opportunities to learn - from people including our international guests, our team and the local Mongolian people our company works in partnership with. If the company is flexible and open then it creates opportunities for Mongolian women - including their financial independence, their confidence, their skills and a sense of empowerment,'
Inspired by the personal and professional journeys of the Mongolian women we’ve trained and employed at Eternal Landscapes, we’re now taking the next step: formalising and expanding our efforts through the creation of Chandmana Erdene.
Chandmana Erdene will be a physical centre offering practical, skills-based training and mentorship for women—ensuring that tourism in Mongolia not only brings visitors, but also builds futures.
We call this a circular approach to tourism. Instead of pursuing tourism’s typical growth-at-all-costs model, we focus on reinvesting in the communities that tourism relies on.
Our mission is clear: to provide Mongolian women—especially those from marginalised backgrounds and with limited access to opportunity—the tools they need to thrive in tourism. Through targeted training, skills development, mentorship, and personal growth, Chandmana Erdene will help women build confidence, forge networks, and develop a strong sense of self.
